Physician - Anesthesiology

Veterans Health Administration • Albany, NY

2d

About The Position

The Anesthesiology Chief leads the Anesthesia Service and is responsible for ensuring anesthesia care meets hospital policy, community standards, and VHA benchmarks. The role supervises the anesthesia team, oversees clinical quality and service operations, and ensures safe, patient-centered preoperative assessment, intraoperative care and monitoring, and post-anesthesia care in inpatient and outpatient settings.

The Chief oversees daily operations of operating room and endoscopy suites, promotes efficient and cost-effective service delivery, and develops collaborative relationships with medical center leaders and other clinical and administrative sections. In collaboration with colleagues, the Chief develops a vision and strategic plan for the Anesthesiology Service; leads systems redesign, quality improvement and assurance initiatives; supports accreditation readiness; and participates in clinical reviews and administrative activities as directed by the Chief of Surgery or Chief of Staff. The role promotes transparency, communication, collegiality, and interdisciplinary teamwork, uses resources effectively, and maintains current clinical knowledge and technical skills. The Chief also ensures anesthesia staff competence in relation to current service privileges and provides excellent diagnostic, judgmental, and therapeutic care to veterans.

This is a full-time VA position with mandatory shared call, including nights, weekends, and holidays. The tour of duty will be discussed with the supervisor. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program requirements and approval. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be available to highly qualified candidates.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited institution.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of qualifying residency training in an accredited core specialty training program leading to board-certification eligibility, or an applicable alternative pathway described in the announcement.
• Board eligible or board certified in Anesthesiology.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Selected applicants in testing-designated positions must undergo urinalysis drug screening; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Must undergo a background/security investigation and complete online onboarding and application requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• May be required to serve a probationary period.
• Must meet EDRP eligibility requirements and submit an application within four months of appointment to be considered for the program.
• Physical activities include sitting, standing for up to two hours, walking for up to two hours, lifting 45 pounds or more, reaching above the shoulder, and repeated bending.
• Must be emotionally and mentally stable and capable of performing the duties of the position.

Nice To Haves

• Highly qualified candidates may be considered for a recruitment or relocation incentive.
• Board certification is required for the stated possible $1,000 annual CME reimbursement.

Responsibilities

• Supervise anesthesia team members and ensure high standards of clinical care, efficiency, professional conduct, and ethical behavior.
• Ensure anesthesia care complies with hospital policy, community standards, and VHA national benchmarks.
• Oversee preoperative assessment, intraoperative anesthetic administration and monitoring, and post-anesthesia care for inpatient and outpatient patients.
• Coordinate and communicate with the Emergency Department, subspecialty services, and clinics admitting patients to the hospital.
• Supervise the operational aspects of the Anesthesia Service, including clinical standards, operations, quality, and daily functioning of operating room and endoscopy suites.
• Promote efficient and cost-effective service delivery while maintaining high-quality patient care.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with medical center leaders, Department of Surgery section heads, and other service Chiefs and section heads.
• Develop a vision and strategic plan for the Anesthesiology Service with organizational colleagues.
• Oversee systems redesign projects and quality improvement and assurance programs for inpatient services.
• Champion evidence-based medicine and peer review initiatives to improve quality.
• Participate in tort claims, peer reviews, management reviews, and administrative activities as directed by the Chief of Surgery and/or Chief of Staff.
• Participate as a leader in organizational accreditation readiness activities.
• Promote transparency, communication, collegiality, and patient-centered interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Use business acumen to manage resources effectively and adapt to change with leadership and flexibility.
• Maintain current medical knowledge and technical skills, and ensure anesthesiologists are competent with respect to their current service privileges.
• Provide excellent diagnostic, judgmental, and therapeutic care to veterans receiving anesthesiology interventions.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, and a possible five-day paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time, board-certified physicians.
• Education Debt Reduction Program student-loan reimbursement, with awards up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years, subject to program approval and eligibility.
• Possible recruitment or relocation incentive for highly qualified candidates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree